The HTC DROID DNA has proven to be one tough cookie to crack in a software-only fashion, but it looks like the handy engineers and developers of the Android world have achieved S-OFF on the device. There is one catch, though: the process requires J-TAG, and that’s not something the common user should look to mess around with if they don’t have any experience with deep-level circuitry.
S-OFF is an unlock state necessary to flash full custom ROMs on the device. One example would be CyangenMod or most other AOSP-based ROMs. In fact, the CyanogenMod team refuses to develop for any device that doesn’t have its bootloader fully unlocked.
So how can you get your device unlocked? Welp, the folks at MobileTechVideos are offering a ship-in service that will have you sending your device off to someone you don’t know. It’ll cost you $45, and that’s before you jump into the headache that is shipping (the cheapest speed for domestic shipping costs $20).
We can’t personally vouch for these guys, but even if they prove to be trustworthy it’s probably not worth it to have this done. For starters, it’s likely that very few people would opt to ship their devices off, and even if they did the minimum $65 they’d have to plunk down would turn most away.
Developers might be more willing to pay for the service, but where’s their motivation for development? On the flip side, would a common user be willing to get their devices unlocked this way without knowing if the development community will get behind it? We’re appreciative of MobileTechReview’s efforts, obviously, but I’d continue to pray that more safe and less expensive methods come to the forefront. That said, folks are free to make their own decisions and they can park it right here if they need to see a man about an S-OFF method.